1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mixing equipment for mixing objects for packaging, and more particularly to an apparatus for intermittently-intermixing multiple objects, compressing the objects into a compressed grouping, accelerating the compressed grouping up to the speed of a constant velocity transfer conveyor, and transferring the compressed grouping thereto.
2. Related Background Art
Many popular candies, snack and other foodstuffs are often packaged together in multiple flavor or multiple color groupings. These groupings are often packaged in single, in-line rows or what is commonly referred to in the art as xe2x80x9cstickpacksxe2x80x9d. However, the quality of the groupings is frequently poor when using existing packaging techniques, since individual items often become disoriented and/or break during the packaging process.
It has also been a problem that the existing techniques for packaging stickpacks also require excessive amounts of direct labor, space and complicated equipment, resulting in an economically unsatisfactory overall candy making and packaging operation.
Accordingly, the present invention presents new apparatuses and methods for virtually eliminating objects becoming disoriented and broken when packaged in in-line groupings, with relatively simple and low-cost designs that require minimal space.
The present invention provides an automatic mixing, compressing, and transfer mechanism which automatically collects uniformly sized individual objects, such as pieces of candy, from a multi-lane infeed conveyor system, assembles the multiple items in a single row, compresses the objects into a compressed grouping, accelerates the compressed grouping from a stationary position and transfers the compressed grouping to a steady, continuous motion, constant velocity transfer conveyor.
The invention includes a hollow indexing cylinder, or rotor-ring, which provides reduced inertia for increased speed capability. The high speed of the compressing device according to the present invention enables, for example, approximately 400 groupings per minute to be fed to a constant velocity transfer conveyor, while maintaining high quality groupings, i.e., the process is substantially free of individual objects that fall, break or become disoriented.
The preferred transfer conveyor which transports the compressed groupings includes a constant velocity belt or chain running through the rotor ring, and includes a cam operated, pivotal front-lug that captures, with the aid of a rear-lug, a compressed grouping of objects each time the rotor-ring pauses at a transfer position.
As explained in the detailed description which follows, operation of the automatic transfer mechanism according to the present invention, and more specifically, the movement of objects from a receiving position where the objects are provided in parallel, expanded arrangement on an infeed conveyor, produces an assembled and compressed in-line, serial type grouping. Each compressed grouping is accelerated to a velocity that matches a constant velocity of the transfer conveyor, which receives the compressed grouping for transfer to a packaging device. The compression and transfer operation is synchronized to provide smooth, efficient and high speed operation.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mixing and compressing apparatus which is simple in design.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mixing and compressing apparatus which is low cost.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mixing and compressing apparatus for mixing and compressing a plurality of objects to produce compressed groupings of any size.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a mixing and compressing apparatus that intermittently-intermixes a plurality of different color/flavor candies. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a mixing and compressing apparatus that intermittently-intermixes a plurality of different objects of the same dimensions.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a mixing and compressing apparatus for mixing and compressing a plurality of objects into a compressed grouping, and then accelerating the grouping from a stationary position to a constant velocity, and transferring the compressed grouping to a transfer conveyor.
To accomplish the foregoing objects and advantages, one aspect of the present invention is directed to a compression apparatus which includes a rotatable body having a receiving area positioned on the perimeter of the body for receiving a plurality of objects in expanded arrangement from an infeed conveyor at a receiving position. The apparatus also includes a compression conveyor positioned longitudinally adjacent the body at a transfer position. The compression conveyor includes a compression element for pushing an end object into the other objects to form the compressed grouping at the transfer position and transport the compressed grouping away from the transfer position.
Another aspect of this invention is directed to a compression apparatus having a rotatable body including a receiving area positioned on the perimeter of the rotatable body for receiving a plurality of objects in expanded arrangement from an infeed conveyor at a receiving position and also includes a compression member positioned on an end of the rotatable body, surrounding a portion of a side of the rotatable body. The compression member includes an inclining portion commencing from a start position on the side of the compression member facing the longitudinal center of the rotatable body and inclining toward the longitudinal center of the rotatable body to a transfer position. The start position is aligned adjacent said receiving position, and the objects received in said receiving area are compressed by relative motion between the rotatable body and the compression member.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to a compression apparatus as described above and also includes a transfer conveyor located longitudinally through the rotatable body and having a capture member for capturing the compressed grouping at the transfer position and transporting the compressed grouping to a packaging device.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for compressing a plurality of objects into a compressed grouping and transferring the compressed grouping to a packaging device. The compression apparatus includes a rotatable body having a receiving area positioned on the perimeter of the rotatable body for receiving a plurality of objects in expanded arrangement from an infeed conveyor at a receiving position, and a compression conveyor located longitudinally adjacent the rotatable body at a transfer position and includes a compression member for forcing an end object in the receiving area into the other objects to compress the objects into a compressed grouping and transport the compressed grouping away from the transfer position. The method includes the steps of receiving a plurality of objects from the infeed conveyor into the receiving area at the receiving position, rotating the rotatable body to the transfer position, pausing the rotation of the rotatable body when the receiving area having the plurality of objects reaches the transfer position, positioning the compression member immediately behind an end object from the receiving area when the objects arrive at the transfer position, compressing the objects together to form a compressed grouping by forcing the compression member into the end object and the remaining objects, and transporting the compressed grouping out of the receiving area during the pausing of the rotation of the cylinder.
Still another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for compressing a plurality of objects into a compressed grouping with a compression apparatus. The compression apparatus includes a rotatable body having a receiving area positioned on the perimeter of the rotatable body for receiving a plurality of objects in expanded arrangement from an infeed conveyor at a receiving position and a compression member positioned on an end of the rotatable body and surrounding a portion of a side of the rotatable body. The compression member includes an inclining portion commencing from a start position located on the side of the compression member facing the longitudinal center of the rotatable body and inclining toward the longitudinal center of the rotatable body to a transfer position, with the start position aligned adjacent said receiving position. The method includes the steps of receiving a plurality of objects from the infeed conveyor into the receiving area at the receiving position, compressing the plurality of objects by rotating the rotatable body and the compression member relative to one another so that the object received from the infeed conveyor and positioned adjacent the start position is forced toward the longitudinal center of the rotatable body by riding along the inclined portion.
Still another aspect of the present invention is directed to a similar method for compressing a plurality of objects into a compressed grouping in a compression apparatus and transferring the compressed grouping to a packaging device. The compression apparatus includes the same features as recited above, and also includes a transfer conveyor located longitudinally adjacent the rotatable body and including a capturing member for capturing the compressed grouping at the transfer position. The method is the same as that described in the previous aspect, but also includes the additional steps of pausing the rotation of the rotatable body when the receiving area having the compressed grouping reaches the transfer position, positioning the capturing member around the compressed grouping when the compressed grouping arrives at the transfer position, conveying the compressed grouping out of the receiving area at the transfer position and along the transfer conveyor.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to an apparatus for compressing a plurality of objects into a compressed grouping and transferring the compressed grouping to a packaging device. The apparatus includes a rotatable body having a plurality of receiving areas positioned around the circumference of the rotatable body for receiving a plurality of objects in expanded arrangement from an infeed conveyor at a receiving position, where the infeed conveyor includes a plurality of individual lanes. The apparatus also includes a first compression member positioned on one end of the rotatable body adjacent the receiving areas and surrounding a portion of a side of the rotatable body and a second compression member positioned on the other end of the rotatable body and surrounding a portion of the other side of the rotatable body. The compression members include an inclining portion commencing from a start position on the side of each compression member facing the longitudinal center of the rotatable body and inclining toward the longitudinal center of the rotatable body to a transfer position, with the start position located adjacent said receiving position. The objects received in the receiving area are compressed into a group by relative motion between the rotatable body and the compression members. The apparatus also includes a transfer conveyor located longitudinally through the rotatable body having a first capture element and a second capture element for capturing the compressed grouping at the transfer position and transporting the compressed grouping out of the receiving area and away from the transfer position.
Many different objects may be compressed using the apparatuses and methods of this invention. A particularly preferred group of objects are confectionaries, and most preferably candy bars and square or rectangular shaped candy pieces such as STARBURST(copyright) brand candies available from MandM/Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, N.J. Other objects which could be compressed in the apparatus according to the present invention include non-food items such as nuts, soap bars, washers, sponges, and the like.
These and other aspects and objects, and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated and understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompany drawings.